ASHVILLE — Julie Jaffy’s classroom atmosphere at the Hewes BOCES Center is “pawsitive.”

Jacob J. Puddles is one of the first things a visitor notices upon entering the room. The visitor also will notice students’ connection to the therapy dog as the visitor may see the students sitting on the floor next to Jacob, interacting with him.

“He’s the star of the school,” said Caeden, a student in her class.

Jaffy has been teaching for 19 years. She started teaching at the Gustavus Adolphus Learning Center, and for the past six years, she has been teaching middle school special education at the Board of Cooperative Educational Services Hewes Center, 2615 N. Maple Ave.

Julie Jaffy and Jacob J. Puddles at the Hewes BOCES Center in Ashville.

Jaffy was a career changer. She said her first job wasn’t giving her the satisfaction and meeting her needs, so she took a friend’s suggestion, and began taking education classes at Mercyhurst University, in Erie, Pa. She graduated, and then earned a certificate in School Building Leadership from the State University of New York at Fredonia.

“That’s how the journey all started,” Jaffy said.

During her first years of teaching she began learning about the power of therapy dogs in schools and other settings as well. This is when she found Jacob. He was trained and certified through Therapy Dogs United, based in Erie, Pa. After certification, Jaffy brought Jacob, to her classroom.

The mission of Therapy Dogs United, according to therapydogsunited.org, is to inspire emotional and physical healing through the use of interactive animal-assisted therapy and human education by fostering the unconditional love of a dog to provide solace through difficult moments and enrichment during milestone moments.

“The whole school uses him,” Jaffy said.

Jaffy loves the teamwork, and flexibility she has at the Hewes Center to utilize Jacob to help other students, and by providing a program for the students’ social and emotional needs.

“The highlight is seeing the connection and the power of the connection with the kids. Jake, can get the kids to do things that I never could,” Jaffy said.

Also helping students in her class are aides Roberta Hallenbeck, Christine Peterson, Ashley Curtis and Russell Dunlap.

Sometimes, the educator said, a student may be experiencing a crisis or having a bad day. And that’s where Jaffy utilizes the brown Basset Hound. She may suggest to a student to take Jacob for walk to help with the crisis.

“And it’s just that social, emotional connection that they have with him, and then the physical output that helps them de-escalate and then they’re ready with a simple walk,” Jaffy said.

If you think of Jacob as a pet, Jaffy will be quick to correct you because he is not treated as a pet. He is treated as a therapy dog, and she wants to make people more aware of what the role of a therapy dog is. She said is an advocate for therapy dogs and is willing to give presentations to educate people about the dogs.

“It’s pretty powerful stuff,” Jaffy said.

Jaffy realizes that when her students need a break, or are struggling with an assignment, they can sit on the floor, and visit with Jacob.

“And and my kids know, and the school knows, that if, they need a break, they’ll take their work and go down on the floor and sit with him and do their work,” she said.

Jaffy noted that her students know sitting with Jacob while doing their assignment is an option.

“Sometimes, kids just need that sensory comfort,” Jaffy said.

Jacob lives with Jaffy, and she is considered his handler. He was named in a unique way. Jaffy said his first name came from the Bible, and a colleague gave him the rest of his name. She said Jacob, who is 3, was about 4 months old, and Jaffy had him in her classroom at the Hewes Center.

“And she (her colleague) came down and opened the door and said, ‘Oh, my gosh, he looks like a puddle.’ So she said his name is Jacob J. Puddles. So that’s how he got his name,” Jaffy said.

She said there are other teachers at the Hewes Center that are trained to work with him. There are also teachers and students at the school who do not care for dogs. In those cases, Jaffy said she is respectful and will not put Jacob in a situation where he would have to engage with them. Jacob has a designated space for lockdowns and fire drills, and the students know to find his leash to get him ready.

Fay, another student in Jaffy’s class, has a “pawfect” connection with Jacob. During breaks and good weather, Fay said he takes Jacob out for a walk on the playground.

“I love him.”